ACG Cleveland Special Editorial 2022: Industries expected to drive the M&A market in 2022

The last 24 months have proven to be a unique and exciting market in M&A resulting in a remarkable increase in transaction activity in almost every industry. This historic increase was the result of several factors, the most prevalent being the release of pent-up activity that was deferred in 2020 as the world was adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to clearing the 2020 deal backlog, there was a shift in macro-dynamics, resulting in a disconnect in global supply and demand dynamics. The environment afforded several industries to achieve outsized growth. The result has been increased valuation multiples, encouraging more sellers to market while building momentum throughout 2021 and into 2022.